Rotary blade piston engine



June 6, 1967 R BALVE 3,323,501

ROTARY BLADE PISTON ENGINE Filed June 215, 1965 2 SheeS-Sheet 1 June 6, 1967 R. BALVE l 3,323,501

ROTARY BLADE PISTON ENGINEV File'd June 23, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet E United States Patent O 3,323,501 RTARY BLADE PISTON ENGINE Robert Balve, Luxembourg, Luxembourg, assignor to Robert Balve and Alphonse Feidt, both of Luxembourg, Luxembourg Filed .lune 23, 1965, Ser. No. 466,361 Claims priority, application Luxembourg, June 26, 1964, 46,406 11 Claims. (Cl. 123-16) This invention relates to rotary blade piston engines and more particularly to an internal combustion engine and its operating process in which a plurality of suitably proled blade pistons are mounted individually and independently from each other freely movable on an excentric segment of an excentric shaft which is disposed centrally of a rotor wherein the pistons operate in an elliptical path during their revolutions.

It is a primary object `of this invention to provide a rotary blade piston engine with a substantially increased ratio of effectiveness and to provide a process for operating blade piston internal combustion engines comprising rotating a plurality of profiled blade pistons travelling on each side axially in the same plane in a centrally rotating rotor independently of each other on relatively spaced excentric segments of an excentric shaft mounted centrally and axially in the rotor and guided in a positive manner radially in an elliptical path to provide between the piston blade work surfaces, the radial rotor face, the elliptical inner housing track of the housing and parallel axial inner housing walls of the housing continuously moving suction, compression, working and expansion chambers, the blade piston face surfaces positively controlling an inlet and outlet canal for producing the gas exchange, the excentnc shaft rotating in the opposite direction of the rotor and the blade pistons with the same number of revolutions.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the reading of the yfollowing specification and engine construction on the basis of the embodiment illustrated in the attached drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of the rotary engine, partly in section,

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal axial View of the rotary engine of FIGURE l, partly in section.

With reference to FIGURE l it will be seen that in the rotor 1 a plurality of blade pistons 3, 4, 5, and 6 are individually and independently mounted in a radially extending manner for rotation on excentric segments 7, 8, 9, respectively of an excentrc shaft 1l mounted axially in the center of the rotor. The excentric shaft 11 has the necessary number of excentric segments to accommodate the blade pistons.

The excentric segments are disposed in a suitable manner axially adjacent each other and arranged radially at equal intervals from each other and are appropriately displaced along their path of travel so that the pistons may rotate freely inside the rotor around the excentric segments of the excentric shaft. The pistons are coupled individually in a suitable manner by means of segmental circular bearing cups or slotted pivot bolts Z at equal intervals from each other in circular bearing openings 47 of the rotor ring segments 58 so as to be positively and movably coupled therewith in order that the segmental -circular bearing cups or pivot bolts with the blade pistons mounted therein may carry out a free pivoting movement, and that the pistons may execute a radial sliding movement therein. The excentric shaft has the effect of positively guiding all the blade pistons and rotates in the opposite direction of the rotor with the same number of revolutions. For this purpose the excentric shaft 11 is mounted appropriately axially and centrally inside the rotor and is passed through the hollow rotor shaft 45 outwardly and is controlled by means of gears 37 and 38 from the loutside in a suitable manner.

Due to this arrangement of the blade pistons between the rotor and the excentric sha-ft and the opposite direction of rotation of the rotor relative to the excentric shaft at the same number of revolutions, the radial blade piston ends travel in a positive manner through an elliptical path having a large axis AB and a small axis c-dwithout any restricted portionswhose center point is simultaneously the center point of the rotor shaft and of the excentric shaft. At the end points of the small elliptical axis c-d the blade pistons travel in line with the outer face diameter of the rotor while at the end p-oints of the large elliptical axis AeB the blade pistons have their farthest projection outwardly of the rotor corresponding to the specific excentric stroke of the excentric shaft. On the small axis c-d the spark plug 15 is mounted in the rotor housing 55 in communication with the rotor chamber. Housing 55 has an inner housing track 1S parallel to the elliptical path of the piston ends such that the blade piston ends are almost in contact with the track 18. In the ends of the blade pistons radially outwardly acting sealing strips 13 are arranged.

Upon rotation of the rotor are yformed alternately between two blade pistons, the rotor end, and the inner housing track continuously and positively the required work chambers, for example the suction chamber 17, the compression chamber and the combustion chamber 14, and the expansion chamber 16 whereby simultaneously the blade piston ends positively control the suction canal 19 and the gas discharge canal 20. The piston blade Surfaces provide additionally the inward suction Iof fresh air or of the fuel-air mixture, the compression and the discharge of the burnt gases as well as directly transferring the rotating moment produced by the combustion pressure at the rotor and its shaft as useful work.

The rotor side pieces have annular surfaces 66 on both sides axially at the outer diameter to extend vertically or conically to the rotor axis. A stationary sealing element such as a piston ring 23, 29 yof the same outer diameter as the rotor, is pressed against these surfaces. On the one hand the sealing ring has a pressure contact against these surfaces by means of spring element 26 and on the other hand it is urged by its radial tension force into the cylindrical closely fitting bores 64 of the housing and of the housing cover so as to be axially movable. Furthermore the rotor and the rotor shaft rotate on both sides axially partly directly in the cooling medium and the rotation surfaces produce the circulation of the coolant.

The Voperation will now be explained also with reference to FIGURE l, where the rotor 1 may be rotated by 45 in the direction of the arrow, so that for example the blade piston 3 will project farther Ifrom the rotor 1 due to the positive guiding by the excentric segment or member 7 of the excentric shaft 11, and simultaneously the excentric 7 is positively rotated by 45 in the opposite direction. Furthermore the excentric 7 moves the blade piston 3 radially out of rotor 1 whereby the end of the blade piston 3 positively travels exactly parallel with the inner elliptical housing track 18 until the radial longitudinal axis of the blade piston 3 coincides with the large axis A-B of the elliptical track 18, whereby simultaneously also the center of the excentric 7 lies on the large axis A-B. In this case the excentric 7 has reached the end of its stroke and the blade piston 3 its maximum outward projection. If the rotor 1 is rotated by another 90 the piston blade 3 is positively withdrawn 4by the excentric 7 until the radial longitudinal axis of the piston blade 3 coincides with the small axis C-d of the elliptical track 18 so that the end of the blade piston 3 is located together with the face surface Iof the rotor 1 in close proximity 3 of the elliptical housing track 18 at the end of the small axis c-d. This cycle is repeated positively for all four blade pistons 3, 4, 5 and 6 arranged in rotor 1 and their excentrics 7, 8, 9 and 10.

In the combustion chamber 14 (FIGURE l) which is formed between the two blade pistons 3 and 4, the face surface of the rotor 1, its recess 23 as well as by the inner elliptical track 18, the end compression of the ignitable mixture is reached and is ignited at the moment when 1n the expansion chamber 16 between the two blade pistons 3 and 6 the preceeding combustion is terminated and the burnt gases are pushed to the outside by the `blade pistons 3 through the discharge canal 20. In the suction chamber 17 the suction stroke is terminated, the blade piston 5 travelling over the suction canal 19 and initiating the compression. Due to its inertia the rotor continues to move. From the time of ignition the piston surface of the blade piston 3 upon which the combustion pressure acts, becomes increasingly larger Iwhile the piston surface of the blade piston 4 becomes smaller and is equal to Zero at the end point of the small axis c-d, while the work producing piston surface of the piston 3 is at the same moment at the end point of the large axis A-B the largest. The lblade piston 3 produces work until the piston surfaces of the blade pistons 3 and 4 are of the same size, at the same time the discharge canal 20 is opened by the blade piston 3 and the burnt gases are discharged by the blade piston 4 through the discharge canal 2t) to the outside. From this it is seen that with one rotation of the rotor 1 with the `four blade pistons 3, 4, 5 and 6 there are positively produced four suction strokes, four compression strokes, four Working strokes and four discharge strokes.

In FIGURE 2 the rotor 1 is shown with its hollow shaft 45 and the excentric shaft 11 mounted therein axially by means of -ball bearings 41 and 42, together with the excentric sections 7, 8, 9, and 10. The blade piston 3 is arranged rotatably on the excentric section 7 and the other blade pistons 4, 5 and 6 are arranged with a hingelike olfset suspension (not shown) on their excentric Sleeves 8, 9 and 10, the relative displacement being 90, whereby the blade pistons 3, 4, 5 and 6 are also mounted with a 90 interval from each other in the rotor ring sections 58 of the rotor 1. The excentric shaft 11 is guided positively by means of the hollow rotor shaft 45 through the gears 37 and 38 in the opposite direction to the blade pistons 3, 4, 5 and 6 and of the rotor 1. Furthermore, FIG- URE 2 shows the rotor shaft 43 together with the rotor side piece 51 in which the end of the excentric shaft 11 is journalled by means of the ball bearing 40, and the rotor 1 with the shafts 45 and 43, which by means of the ball bearings 35 and 36 is mounted on the one side in the housing 21 and on the other side in the housing cover 27, whereby the rotor 1 and its shaft 43 and 45 are sealed olf from the cooling medium of the cooling chambers 48 and 49 by ymeans of the seals 30, 31, 34 and 46, While the piston ring type sealing elements 28 and 29 seal on both sides the axial air gap between the rotor 1, the housing 21 and the housing cover 27.

For sealing on both sides the axial travel gaps between the rotor side pieces 50 and S1, the housing 21 and the housing cover 27, annular ange surfaces 66 are provided on the side pieces to extend vertically or conically to the rotor axis, stationary piston ring sealing elements 28 and 29 of desired profile having the same outer diameter as the rotor flange being pressed by means of spring elements 26 axially against the rotor ange 66, the piston ring like sealing elements being mounted with a radial tension in the cylindrical closely tting bores 64 of the housing 21 and the housing cover 27 and axially movable centrally of the rotor 1. In the rotor side pieces 50 and 51 inside the rotor chamber directly below the rotor ring segments 58, oil outlet canals 63 are arranged for oil discharge and communicate With a radially or tangentially arranged oil outlet canal 62 of the rotor side pieces 50 and 51.

In the circular bearing bores 47 of the rotor ring seg- Cil ments 58 of the rotor 1, one or more axially continuous oil collecting grooves 57 of desired profile are arranged with a suitable angular position and connected in a suitable manner at their axial ends with the oil discharge canal 62 of the side pieces 50 and 51. In the inner longitudinal slide surfaces of the segmental circular bearing cups 2 or pivot bolts, one or more axially continuous oil collecting grooves 56 of desired profile and with suitable angular position to the blade piston work surfaces are arranged, and their axial ends on both sides are connected in a suitable manner to the oil discharge canal 62 of the two rotor side pieces Sti and 51.

In the housing 21 and in the housing cover 27 angular return flow canals 61 are provided into which the oil discharged from the rotor chamber enters and is discharged automatically. Axially extending oil collecting canals 59 are associated with the blade `pistons 3, 4, 5 and 6 and from these canals by means of several suitably arranged oil ejection canals 60 oil is injected into the rotor charnber. The housing surrounding the rotor is composed in a suitable manner of three parts, the central housing part 55 with the elliptical track 18, the housing part 21 and the adjacent housing part 27 disposed axially and centrally to each other.

What I claim is:

1. A process for operating blade piston internal combustion engines comprising rotating a plurality of profiled blade pistons (3, 4, 5 and 6) travelling on each side axially in the same plane in a centrally rotating rotor (1) independently of each other on relatively spaced excentric segments (7, 8, 9 and 10) Of an excentric shaft (11) mounted centrally and axially in the rotor (1) and guided in a positive manner radially in an elliptical path to provide between the piston blade work surfaces, the radial rotor face, the elliptical inner housing track (18) of the housing part (55) and parallel axial inner housing walls of the housing parts (21, 27) continuously moving suction, compression, working and expansion chambers, the blade piston face surfaces positively controlling an inlet and outlet canal (19 and 20) for producing the gas exchange, the excentric shaft (11) rotating in the opposite direction of the rotor (1) and the blade pistons (3, 4, 5 and 6) with the same number of revolutions.

2. A rotary blade piston engine comprising a housing having an inner peripheral wall surface of continuous elliptical form and axially spaced parallel inner side walls, a circular rotor (1) mounted centrally in the housing (21, 27, 55) and extending into close proximity of the inner peripheral wall surface at its smallest elliptical diameter at opposite sides, the rotor face having a recess between two adjacent blade pistons (3, 4, 5, 6), an excentric shaft (11) mounted axially in the rotor and having a plurality of excentric segments (7, 8, 9, 10), a blade piston mounted freely on each excentric segment, the rotor having a plurality of equally spaced bearing bores (47) communicating with diametrically aligned openings in the inner and outer rotor walls for receiving the blade pistons, pivot means (2) journalled in the bores and having slots for receiving said blade pistons for relative radial movement therein, the excentric shaft being rotatable in opposite direction to said rotor and guiding the end 0f the blade pistons in a continuous elliptical path in close proximity to said inner elliptical housing wall surface, the blade piston surfaces extending outwardly from said rotor, the rotor face surfaces, the rotor face recess, the housing inner surface and the inner side walls forming continuously moving suction, compression, working and expansion chambers and the piston `blades controlling the gas inlet and outlet canals during rotation.

3. Apparatus according to `claim 2 wherein for sea-ling on both sides the axial travel gaps between rotor side pieces and 51), the housing part (21) and the housing part (27), annular flange surfaces are provided on the side pieces to extend vertically `or conically to the rotor axis, stationary piston ring sealing elements (28 and 29) of desired profile having the same outer diameter as the rotor flange pressed by means of spring elements (26) axially against the rotor flange, the piston ring like sealing elements being mounted with a radial tension in the cylindrical closely tting bores of the housing (21) and the housing cover (27) and axially movable centrally of the rotor (1).

4. Apparatus according to clai-m 3 wherein in the rotor side pieces (50 and 51) inside the rotor chamber directly below rotor ring segments (58), oil outlet canals (63) are arranged for oil discharge and communicate with a radially or tangentially arranged oil discharge canal (62) of the rotor side pieces (50 and 51).

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein in the circular bearing bores (47) of the rotor ring segments (58) of the rotor (1) one or more axially traversing oil collecting grooves (57) `of desired prole are arranged with a suit able angular position and connected in a suitable manner at their axial ends with an oil discharge canal (62) of the sid-e pieces (50 and 51).

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein on the inner longitudinal slide surfaces of the pivot means (2) in the form of segmental circular bearing cups or pivot bolts, one or more axially traversing oil collecting grooves (56) of desired prole and with suitable angular position to the blade piston work surfaces are arranged and their axial ends on both sides are connected in a suitable manner to the oil discharge canal (62) of the two rotor side pieces (50 and 51).

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein in housing (21) and in the housing cover (27) angular return ow canals (61) are provided into which the oil discharged frorn the rotor chamber enters and is automatically discharged.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein axially extending oil collecting canals (59) are associated with the blade pistons (3, 4, S and 6) and from these canals by means of several suitably arranged oil ejection canals (60) oil is injected into the rotor chamber.

9. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the housing surrounding the rotor is composed in a suitable Inanner `of three parts, the central housing part with an elliptical track (18), the housing part (21) and the ad jacent housing part (27) disposed axially and centrally to each other.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the process of the apparatus is applicable to blowers, compressors and pumps of all types.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein the blade pistons (3, 4, 5 and 6) are appropriately made hollow to increase their radial and axial surfaces and to improve heat conduction.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 831,754 9/ 1906 Sullivan 91-124 1,133,772 3/1915 Whiting 123-16 1,202,828 10/1916 Ginn 123-17 1,255,403 2/1918 Gardner et al 123-16 1,927,563 9/1933 Edwards 230-157 2,071,799 2/ 1937 Mabille 123*16 2,789,513 4/1957 Johnson et al. 103--144 FOREIGN PATENTS 826,534 1/ 1938 France. 1,298,370 6/1962 France.

346,405 4/1931 Great Britain.

DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. W. I. GOODLIN, Assistant Examiner. 

2. A ROTARY BLADE PISTON ENGINE COMPRISING A HOUSING HAVING AN INNER PERIPHERAL WALL SURFACE OF CONTINUOUS ELLIPTICAL FORM AND AXIALLY SPACED PARALLEL INNER SIDE WALLS, A CIRCULAR ROTOR (1) MOUNTED CENTRALLY IN THE HOUSING (21, 27, 55) AND EXTENDING INTO CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE INNER PERIPHERAL WALL SURFACE AT ITS SMALLEST ELLIPTICAL DIAMETER AT OPPOSITE SIDES, THE ROTOR FACE HAVING A RECESS BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT BLADE PISTONS (3, 4, 5, 6), AN EXCENTRIC SHAFT (11) MOUNTED AXIALLY IN THE ROTOR AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF EXCENTRIC SEGMENTS (7, 8, 9, 10), A BLADE PISTON MOUNTED FREELY ON EACH EXCENTRIC SEGMENT, THE ROTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF EQUALLY SPACED BEARUNG BORES (47) COMMUNICATING WITH DIAMETRICALLY ALIGNED OPENINGS IN THE INNER AND OUTER ROTOR WALLS FOR RECEIVING THE BLADE PISTONS, PIVOT MEANS (2) JOURNALLED IN THE BORES AND HAVING SLOTTS FOR RECEIVING SAID BLADE PISTONS FOR RELATIVE RADIAL MOVEMENT THEREIN, THE EXCENTRIC SHAFT BEING ROTATABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION TO SAID ROTOR AND GUIDING THE END OF THE BLADE PISTONS IN A CONTINUOUS ELLIPTICAL PATH IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO SAID INNER ELLIPTICAL HOUSING WALL SURFACE, THE BLADE PISTON SURFACES EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID ROTOR, THE ROTOR FACE SURFACES, THE ROTOR FACE RECESS, THE HOUSING INNER SURFACE AND THE INNER SIDE WALLS FORMING CONTINUOUSLY MOVING SUCTION, COMPRESSION, WORKING AND EXPANSION CHAMBERS AND THE PISTON BLADES CONTROLLING THE GAS INLET AND OUTLET CANALS DURING ROTATION. 